Just a few miles away across the city, the Cook family were spending the morning in London.
‘All these brilliant shops!’ said Mum enthusiastically after breakfast. ‘I can feel some serious retail therapy coming on.’
Ben and Sophie groaned. Neither of them could understand why Mum liked shopping so much – or why it took her so long. Lara wasn’t keen, either, and Dad said he’d rather eat worms than go anywhere near a big store on the Saturday before Christmas.
‘That’s OK,’ said Mum. ‘We’ll split up. You can take Ben, Sophie and Lara to the London Eye and I’ll take Ollie to buy his new shoes – and to look at some computer games,’ she added quickly when she saw Ollie’s face. ‘We’ll meet up at lunchtime.’
‘Oh, Mum, why can’t I go to the London Eye?’ complained Ollie.
‘I’m sorry, Ollie, there isn’t time to do both, but you can have a special surprise treat of your own instead,’ promised Mum. Ollie beamed. He liked surprises.
‘Do they let dogs on the London Eye?’ asked Ben.
‘Not usually,’ said Dad, ‘but they’ll make an exception for Lara. The professor’s had a word with them.’
I should think so too, thought Lara. I’m hardly just any old dog. Sometimes I think they forget!
So Mum and Ollie went off to the tube station and Dad, Ben, Sophie and Lara set off for the London Eye. As they were walking along the path beside the river, looking across at the Houses of Parliament, Lara noticed a man in an old overcoat selling newspapers. He had a young dog sitting beside him with a piece of string for a lead. It was a spaniel with brown freckles on a white nose.
I think we’ve met before! thought Lara.
She wandered casually over to the dog. ‘How’s the mission going, Agent CV89?’ she muttered, pretending to sniff a piece of paper on the ground nearby.
‘Bit boring, really,’ smiled the spaniel. ‘We’re working on a tip-off but it might not be reliable. Something to do with some secret government documents. Probably nothing to it.’
‘Well, keep on your guard,’ advised Lara. ‘Sometimes things happen when you least expect it.’
Dad bought a newspaper from the man. ‘Keep the change, mate,’ he said. ‘Merry Christmas!’
Ben and Sophie patted the dog, then Ben did a double take. ‘Hey!’ he exclaimed.
He’s recognized the spaniel too. Lara pushed Ben hard in the back of the knees. Be quiet, Ben! Don’t say any more!
Ben got the message, he gave Sophie a nudge and they all walked quickly on. ‘Spy Dogs everywhere,’ he whispered.
A few minutes later they heard a sudden commotion behind them. Lara spun round, immediately on full alert.
Something’s happened!
A man carrying a briefcase was sprinting along the path, followed closely by the homeless newspaper seller, who had thrown off his overcoat and was running like a champion sprinter, and Agent CV89. Agent CV89 was barking fiercely and the newspaper seller was shouting, ‘Stop! Police!’
Dad and the children froze. In fact everyone on the riverbank froze, watching in shock as the spaniel caught up with the man and made a grab for the briefcase. But the man pulled out a handgun. He aimed it at the newspaper seller and stopped him in his tracks. Then he aimed it at the dog at his feet.
Oh no! He’s going to shoot!
The spaniel remembered his training. He dived over the wall into the river and disappeared under the water.
With his gun aimed back at the newspaper seller, the man began to edge towards a landing stage, where a motorboat was moored ready for his getaway.
Lara’s mind raced through her options. He’s got his back to us, so he won’t see me if I make a dash for him, she thought. But he’s too far away. By the time I get there it will be too late. If only there was something I could throw, like a rope or – Then she remembered. The professor’s secret weapon! I haven’t got a gun to fire it but maybe I could throw it?
Lara grabbed Sophie’s rucksack from her back and tore it open. She pulled out the plastic bag with the bright blue ball inside and ripped that open too. The man was at the end of the landing stage, about to get into the boat. He’s too far away. I can’t throw it that distance.
Then Lara remembered the slings she had seen people use for throwing balls to dogs in the park at home. She grabbed the end of Ben’s woolly scarf, pulled it sharply off him and quickly folded it in half to make a simple sling. She put the ball into the sling and, holding the ends of the scarf between her teeth, twirled the whole thing round and round above her head before hurling the bright blue ball through the air towards her target. Yes! A perfect hit. Just as the man was about to start the engine, the bullet hit his back and exploded, covering him with fine blue dust.
No one watching could believe the result. The man instantly began to laugh and laugh. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he chuckled. He laughed so much that he couldn’t stand. You’d think he had heard the funniest joke in the world. ‘Hee hee hee!’ he went. ‘Oh, ha ha! Hee hee hee!’ He couldn’t hold the briefcase, or the gun. He dropped them both and collapsed on his back in the boat, holding his tummy and waving his legs in the air, laughing and laughing and laughing.
Agent CV89 was a good swimmer. He reappeared in the water beside the boat and retrieved the briefcase in a very professional way.
The newspaper seller took possession of the gun and, together with some other unlikely-looking officers – a road sweeper and a traffic warden – he frogmarched the robber away – with some difficulty, as he was still bent double with laughter.
The family looked at Lara in amazement. Sophie gave her a hug. ‘You are FANTASTIC, Lara!’ she said.
Just helping out a colleague! smiled Lara. The lad did well for his first mission. Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s go and see what this London Eye is all about!